Fairlead



Jan. 21, 1947. P. J. MOCHEL FAIBLEAD Filed D60, 21, 1944 cjez Patented Jan. 21, 1947 FAIRLEAD Paul J. Mochel, .Los An Chrysler Corporation, corporation of Delaware geles, Calif., assignor to Highland Park, Mich., a

Application December 21, 1944, Serial No. 569,177

.8 Claims. (Cl. 254-490) This invention relates to a vfairlead although in I the broader aspects thereof the invention may be embodied in devices of this general character for supporting or positioning or suspending an element with respect to another structure.

Among the objects of the invention are the provision of a device of this character including parts normally positioned to readily accommodate insertion of a cable or thelike into the device and relatively shiftable to obstruct removal of the same therefrom and engage the device with a support; and to impart to the device lateral stability when engaged with the support.

The parts of the device are preferably connected together by rubber or a similar material bonded thereto and which is stressed to accommodate relative mov ment of the parts as aforesaid. Where this type of material is so employed a further object of the invention is the provision of a construction wherein the material is subjected to a compression load in restraining the parts against relative movement and the tension and shear stresses thereof, particularly at the bonded surfaces, are minimized. Inducing the compression load prolongs the active life of the device by avoiding permanent set of the connecting material which may otherwise occur when the latter is subjected to tension and shear stresses only. While subjecting the material to compression provision is made for accommodating flow thereof, thus permitting greater relative movement between the parts and a resulting wider range of application for a particular device.

In carrying out the foregoing objects provision is made for protecting minimize deterioration thereof due to excessive heat and light exposure, and for this purpose the parts preferably include pockets which provide substantial enclosure for the material and an abutment adjacent the pocket against which the material is urged to induce the compression load therein as aforesaid.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the'following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a fairleadembodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the fairlead shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the fairlead in assembled relationship with'a support and. cable.

of the fairlead the connecting material to Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the Fig. 4 assembly.

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged perspective view of a typical component of the fairlead.

Fig. 8 is a View in perspective illustrating a modified form of the device prior to assembly.

Fig. 9 is a View illustrating the assembly of the Fig. 8 showing.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 7, the invention is embodied in a fairlead including a pair of members it which are preferably but not necessarily identioal in the interest of economy of manufacture. Each member It has an opening I l cooperating one with the other to form a passage through the fairleadj, each opening beingsomewhat elongated in the direction of the length ofits member. Communicating with each opening H is an access slot 52, each bounded by the edge of a lip l3 extending over the opening l0, all as shown more particularly in Fig. 7.

The members it] are secured together by two bodies M of rubber or similar material, one such body being near each pair of adjacent ends of the members. In the typical embodiment of Fig. 7, the end portion it of each member Ill provided with a pocket It and a communicating groove I! at one side thereof and an abutment 48 having a radius curvature at the opposite side thereof and provided with spaced upstanding ridges IS.

The other end portion 28 of each member It] has a pocket 2! and abutments 22 and 23 at respectively opposite sides of the pocket, each of which may have a radius of curvature. The abutment 23 has spaced upstanding ridges 2 and projects beyond the adjacent face of its member to provide a tongue 25. Each end portion 26 is provided with a notch shown at 26.

In assembly an end portion 25 of one member I0 is adjacent the end portion I5 of the other thereof, the pocket 2! of one member registering with the pocket 15 of the other. A body of rubber l4 extends into each such pair of registering pockets and the end faces thereof ar respectively bonded to the bottom of these pockets. When the fairlead is in reposed position the members II] are positioned as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the access-forming slots 52 being in such registry as to permit movement of a cable or like part 2'! of a given cross-sectional dimension into the passageforming opening H.

The fairlead with the cable inserted therein can be installed as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 in a bulkhead, partition or support 2B having an opening therein by moving the adjacent end por adjacent abutment l8,

. duced thickness as shown at 3|.

tions one toward the other against the resistance of the rubber bodies 14 a sufiicient distance to permit insertion of the device into the opening with the edge portion of the support snapped in the notches 26. When thus assembled the lips 13 are so brought together as to close the access slot I! to movement of the cable therethrough, as shown more particularly in Fig.5. This movement serves to elongate the bodies of rubber, as

press the same against an,

shown in Fig. 6, and

23 and thereby put a compression load on the rubber. The spaces between and on either side of the ridges i9, 24 provide relief grooves for flow of the rubber therein thereby allowing greater the parts without being understood and 24 are in alternate relation laterally. This compression loading serves to relieve the rubber, particularly at the relative sm ll bonded area thereof at the bottom of the pockets, from much of the tension and shear stresses which would otherwise be present.

When installed as aforesaid, only one end portion 20 of each member It is engaged with the support 28 and the device is stabilized laterally by movement of each tongue 25 into the adjacent groove ll. Each rubber body id is substantially enclosed and thus protected from deterioration due to excessive heat and light exposure.

In the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9 the fairlead includes a pair of members 36, preferably identical, each having an outer peripheral edge defining a portion of a circle and a section of re- Each such section has an opening 32 cooperating one with the other to provide a passage through the device for receiving the cable 21. The reduced sections 35 extending radially outwardly in one direction from the cable-receiving passage are arranged in overlapping relation and are secured together by a body of rubber 33 bonded to adjacent faces thereof. The rubber normally positions the members as shown in Fig. 8 wherein the fairlead is in repose with the edges 34 of the reduced sections 3! spaced apart to provide an access slot through which the cable is moved into and out of the passage therefor.

In order to insert the fairlead in an opening 35 of a support 36, as shown in Fig. 9, the cable 2'! is moved between the slot-forming edges 34 into the opening therefor and the members 39 relatively rotated, against the resistance of the rub-b er 33, sufiiciently to accommodate insertion of the fairlead into the opening 35. When so inserted the members 39 are expanded by the rubber into engagement with the wall bounding the opening, each member preferably having a peripheral groove 3'! in which the edge of the wall is received. When thus assembled the edges 36 are so brought together as to prevent removal of the cable therebetween and the-opening 35 is substantially closed by the fairlead except for the cable-receiving passage, although this degree of closure need not be effected in all applications. v

' Although but several specific embodiments of the invention are herein shown anddescribed, it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. I claim: I a

1. A device for positioning an element with respect to another structureincluding' a pair of relative movement of undue stress of the rubber, it that in assembly the ridges l 4 members having openings cooperating to define an element-receiving passage in the device and being adapted for relative linear movement in one direction between a first position wherein insertion of the element into and removal from the passage is accommodated and a second position wherein removal of the element from the passage is obstructed and the. dimension of said device in the direction of said linear movement is less than the corresponding dimension of the device when said members are in said first position, said members having adjacent faces, each having a pocket and a body of rubber-like material having portions thereof respectively extending into said pockets and adhered to a bounding wall thereof securing said members in said first position and yieldable to accommodate movement of the latter to said second position. 2. A device for positioning an element with respect to another structure including a pair of members having openings cooperating to define an element-receiving passage in the device and being adapted for relative movement between a first position wherein insertion of the element into and removal from the passage is accommodated and a second position wherein removal of the ing relative movement of said members from one of said positions to the other thereof, at least one of said abutments having a depression in the sur face thereof into which said material is compressed during the last mentioned relative movement of said members. 1

3. A device for positioning an element with respect to another structure including apair of members having openings cooperating to define an element-receiving passage in the device and being adapted for relative movement along a line between a first position wherein insertion of the element into and removal from the passage is accommodated and a second position wherein re moval of the element from the passage is obstructed, said members having adjacent faces, each having a pocket and a body of rubber-like material having portions thereof respectively extending into said pockets and adhered to a bounding Wall thereof connecting said members and yieldable to accommodate movement of the latter between said portions, one of said members having a groove in its said face and the other of said members having a tongue at its said face received in said groove at least when said members are in one of said positions to thereby restrain said members against relative shifting transverse to the line of the aforesaid movement thereof between said positions. I

4. A device for positioning an element with respect to another structure, including a pair of relatively movable members having openings 00-- operating to define an element-receiving passage in the device, each of said members having an edge portion thereof cooperating with an edge portion of the other to form an access slot communicating with said passage for accommodating insertion of the element therein and removal-0f the same therefrom, and resiliently yieldable meansconmeeting said members and accommodating relative movement thereof along a line between a first position wherein said edge portions are disposed in slot-forming relation and a second position wherein said edge portions are disposed out of said relation in order to obstruct removal of the element therefrom, one of said members having a groove and the other thereof having a tongue disposed in said groovewhen said members are in said second position to thereby restrain said members against relative axial shifting transverse to the line of the aforesaid relative movement.

5. A device for positioning an element with respect to another structure, a pair of relatively movable members having cooperating openings defining an element-receiving passage through the device and having oppositely disposed pairs of adjacent ends, each of said members having an edge portion extending between a periphery thereof and its passage-forming opening, and a rubber-like material connecting said members for relative movement thereof along a line between a first position wherein said edge portions are so spaced apart as to accommodate movement of the element therebetween into the passage and a second position wherein one of the adjacent ends of each of said members is engaged in holding relation with said support and said side edge portions are so brought together as to obstruct removal of the element from the passage, the other of the adjacent ends of each of said members being disposed out of said holding relation, an end portion of each of said pairs having a tongue and another end portion thereof having a groove receiving said tongue when said members are in said second position to thereby restrain relative shifting of said members transverse to the line of said relative movement thereof.

6. A device for positioning an element with respect to another structure, a pair of relatively movable members having cooperating openings defining an element-receiving passage through the device and having oppositely disposed pairs of adjacent ends, each of said members having an edge portion extending between a periphery thereof and its passage-forming opening, and a rubber-like material connecting said members for relative movement thereof along a line between a first position wherein said edge portions are so spaced apart as to accommodate movement of the element therebetween into the passage and a second position wherein one of the adjacent ends of each of said members is engaged in holding relation with said support and said side edge positions are so brought together as to obstruct removal of the element from the passage, the other of the adjacent ends of each of said members being disposed out of said holding relation, each pair of said adjacent ends having portions thereof so interengaged when said members are in said second position as to restrain relative shifting of said members in a direction transverse to the line of said relative movement thereof.

7. In a fairlead adapted to engage a support for positioning an element relative to the support, a pair of members having registering passages therethrough for receiving the element to be positioned and each having an access slot communicating with the passage, said members being relatively shiftable for bringing said slots into alignment and misalignment with respect to each other for accommodating insertion of the element into said fairlead and obstructing displacement of the element from the fairlead respectively, and resiliently yieldable means connecting said members normally positioning the same with the slots thereof relatively aligned and yieldable to accommodate relative linear shifting of said members in one direction to thereby bring said slots into relative misalignment and engage said members with said support.

8. In a device for positioning an element relative to a structure having an opening through which the element to be positioned extends, a pair of members having cooperating openings defining an element-receiving passage through the device, each of said members having an edge portion extending between a periphery thereof and its passage-forming opening, and a body of rubber-like material connecting said members normally positioning the same with said edge portions so spaced apart as to accommodate movement of the element therebetween into said passage and yieldable to accommodate relative pivotal movement of said members to thereby engage the same with said structure at the openin thereof and bring said edge portions together to obstruct removal of the element from the passage.

PAUL J. MOCHEL, 

